Kyle CarpenterAsheville, North Carolina

Biography

Carpenter, a North Carolina native, knows the importance of the rich pottery-making tradition of his home state. While continuing to dip from the deep well of tradition, Carpenter's pottery reveals a strong contemporary design sensibility. Kyle works in stoneware and salt-fires at his studio in Asheville. He creates elegant, simple forms then lavishes the attention of his brush to compose striking surfaces.

Repetition, rhythm, and abstractions informed by nature are key elements in his signature style. Working with a restrained palette, he creates a stunningly broad and fast-evolving portfolio of decorative motifs. Carpenter achieves a brilliant synthesis of contemporary & tradition that is equally at home - and equally compelling - within both a mountain cabin getaway and the stainless urban loft.

Statement

In 1996, I came to the Asheville area to get an education. I was schooled in Fine Arts at The University of North Carolina at Asheville, with a concentration in ceramics. I graduated in 2000 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Ceramics. I have since made my home and studio here and started a family.

I make pots because it’s creative, hands-on, challenging, demanding, and satisfying. All of my pottery is salt-fired. On some occasions, a wood-fired piece will make its way into my inventory. I’ve always been interested in atmospheric kilns. The pottery’s variation in surface offers subtle change in my limited palette. Before I chose ceramics as a major in college, I had considered illustration. This is why I turn to the brush to pattern the pot. I feel that it’s all in the details. Each pot is adorned with its own unique decoration and flame pattern, assuring that it is one of a kind.

I continue to experiment with form while keeping it simple. Making simple pots appeals to me. All work is raw-glazed and single-fired. This allows me to have continuity throughout the making process. The process is what hooks most potters. Wedging clay, pulling the wall of a pot, brushing slips and glazes, firing the kiln, and marketing the work are all integral parts of the cycle.